The pool of sin

Recently I read Cornelius Plantinga’s well-written chapter on the fall into sin (in ‘Engaging God’s World’).

He is vivid in tracing the dynamic destructiveness and infectiousness of sin.

It was an odd sensation as I read. I was sitting by a hotel swimming pool in the early morning by myself. The water was clear and just right for a swim. The gardens were lush green and well kept. The solitude prompted deep and welcome thoughts. Good friends would soon join me and we would go together for a choice breakfast buffet before returning to the pool.

In short, themes of God’s good creation abounded.

It was hard to square all that with the dark chapter on sin.

Or was it?

I felt compelled to bring my key valuables pool-side rather than leave them in the room unattended. I was careful not to display them to anyone but kept them covered at the pool. And then at breakfast, one of my companions was concerned lest a possession of little value was taken and thus kept it in view.

And thus the fall was in evidence.